Envelope sealing device



June 2, 1931. EZG R 1,808,567

' ENVELOPE SEALING DEVICE Filed June 10, 1930 l 4 j H 29 .1 26 as f 6 Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES CHARLES A. ME-ZGER, or BROOKLYN, new YORK a.

ENVELOPE SEALING .IDEVICE Application filed June 10,

This invention relates to devices thatlare hand held for the operation of moistenmg and sealing the gumm ed flaps of envelopes and has for its object to provide a neat and efficient implement whereby the moisture may be supplied for, and the flap sealed to the envelope by a single operation.

Another object of my improvement is to provide a sanitary means to apply the-moisture for sealing an envelope and aiiixmg a postage stamp to same. 7

Another object of my improvement is to provide a means to automatically apply the moisture to the surfaces for the purpose without the use of wicks of pads of absorbent material as heretofore used inthe art.

A further object of my improvement is to provide a device for the purpose having a collapsible reservoir that may be filled with i the moisteningliquid hyfiexing the side the same. 1

In the accompanying drawings forming part of'this specification,

Fig. 1 is a side view of the device.

Fig. 2 isa front end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a bottom view with the reservoir extended from the casing.

Fig. 4' is an enlarged longitudinal cross section of the device. 7 Fig. 5 is a top view of the moistening member.

Fig. 6 is a top View of the control or. sealing member. 7 l

Fig. 7 .is a side view of and spring members.

Fig. 8 is a cross section of reservoir and springs on line 88 Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of packing sleeve. I Fig. 10' is a section, of same on line 1010 Fig. 9.

I Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The casing 1, end piece 2, collapsible reservoir 3, inlet valve 4, moistening mem front end part her 5, sealing member 6, packing 9,6Xl1a1 1930. Serial No. 460,146.

'ing grooved sides 22 to engage with the edges of the slot 23 of thecasing land a nipple'21 to engage with thehole 20 in the reservoir 3, and is adapted toibe' attached to and close the opening inrthe front end 5 of the reservoir 3 and the casing 1. The inlet valve 4" consistslof a rubber bushing having a hinged flap and'is fitted into a nipple having a grooved end-to engage .with a hole in thefrear'end of the '10 reservoir 3 and has an extendedthreaded portion 15 adapted to pass through the hole 16 of the casing 1 and engage with the nut to secure thejvalve 4 and the reservoir 3to the casing 1. V f The reservoir 3 is preferably formed of rubber with collapsible side walls and has a hole in the rear end to engage with the end groove of the inlet valve 4, a hole 20 to engage with the nipple2l of part 2 an'd so an opening in the front end the surrounding walls of which 18 are clamped between the clamping plate 11, the front plate of the U spring 12,andthe end plate ofpart 2 by means of the valve screw 10 engaging s5 withthe threaded hole ofthe clamping plate 11 so that the extended ends of the U spring 12 will contact with the outside of the walls of the resevoir 3, or the front plate of the U spring 12 may be clamped between the wall 18 and the plate 11 so that the extended ends of the U spring '12 will contact with the inside of the-walls of the reservoir 3 as shown in F ig.'" 8. The outside walls of the reservoir 3 may be plain or haveraised panels 13 to register with the apertures llfin thecasingl. I

The moistening member 5 has a hollow portion 24' and a fiat portion 26 A extended from same; the hollow portion has a round ed end, beveled end and sides, a flat bottom, and a flat top 26 with a longitudinal groove 27 communicating by means of a small hole 28 with the hollow portion 24; an extended nipple 25 communicating with the hollow portion 24 and adapted to engage with the nipple 21 of the part 2; the extended flat. portion26 has a hole 29 adapted to register sion of thecontacting surfaces 26 and 31,

packing material may be attached to 31 toregister with the hole 28 or a rubber packing sleeve 9 may be fitted over the portion 31 to contact with the surface-26 surrounding the groove 27 in member 5; but

when the surfaces of 26 and 31 aremade so as to form proper contact the packing described will not be required.

The exhaust valve consists of a hollow screw 10 fitted with a rubber bushing7 having one end contracted so that the edges normally contact with each other but may be forced apart by the pressure of the air being forced out of the reservoir 3 when flexing the side walls of same.

lVhenthe reservoir 3 has been assembled as described with the end part 2, the nipple 21 and the inlet valve 4, the same may be inserted into the casing 1 as shown in Fig. 3, the stemof the inlet valve 15 being secured to'the casing 1 by the nut 17 and the members 5 and 6 secured to the threaded boss .36 by the screw 37, the nipple 2'5engaging with the nipple 21, thus connecting in Fig, 4. 7 V

The flap closing member 19 is hinged to the side of the casing v1 and is adapted to ride on the ungummed surface of the enthe member 5 to the reservoir 3 all as shown velope flap andpress the moistened gummed side of the same into sealed contact with theenvelope by the tension of the spring 35.

A. modified' form of the device may be made of parts comprising a reservoir made of the casing 1 without the hole 16, the apertures 14 vand the slot 23, having the nipple 21 sealed to the casing 1 and the end of same sealed by a plain end piece 2 havlng an ailr vent and a .fillin port closed by a-removable stopper, and the parts 5, 6, 9,

19., 36, 37, and 38 previously described and shownin the drawings.

The modified form' of reservoir 1 is adapted to be filled through the port in the endpiece- 2 in the ordinary manner, the collapsible reservoir 3 being adapted to be Patent is filled by submerging the inlet stem 15 in a liquid and flexing the side walls of the reservoir 3' through the apertures 14 of the casing 1 thereby expelling the air through the exhaust valve 10 and inducing the liquid to enter through the inlet valve 4.

In the operation of the device the moistening member 5 being below the reservoirs 1 and 3, the moistening liquid will flow from the same by gravity through the nipples 21 and 25 into the hollow portion 24 of the member 5 and rise through the hole 28 intothe groove 27 where the flow of the liquid is normally checked by the portion 31 of the movable sealing member 6 -n0r-' mally covering the outlet 27.

The portion of the envelope to bemoist= ened is passed between the members 5 and "6 meanwhile being held in contact with the outlet 27 under tension of the portion 31 of member 6, the normal sealing contact being automatically restored'when the moistened portion of the envelopeisrwith-diawn from between the members 5 and 6. v i

To moisten andseal the guinmed flap of an envelope by a single operation, lay the envelope flat with the ungummed side of the flap up, insert the flap between the members 5 and 6 with the closing member-.19 contacting with the ungummed surface on top of the flap, and by moving the device along the flap the gummed surface ofthe same will be moistened by contact with the outlet 27 and pressed'intosealed contact with the envelope by the closing member 19.

Postage stamps may be applied to envelopes in'a sanitary manner by moistening a portion of the front of same with the device and by pressing the gummedv postage stamps into positionwith the flat bottom of the member 5.,

The casing 1, end piece 2, 'moistening member 5, sealingmember 6, spring member 12,. closing member 19,'and the regulator-38 are-preferably made of suitable metal press worked to the desired form,t he

front plateof thesprin'g; member 12 having a hole to admit the" valve screw 10; the valve stem 1 the screw 37 and the valve screw 10 being a screw machine product.

The grooved outlet 27 referred'to herein consisting of a channel forminga shallow basin in the member 5 to'maintain a supply of moistening liquid and adapted to'c'ontact r ,v v with and molsten a surface is the preferred formof moistening outlet for use with the device.- 1 Other suitable forms of outlets controlled by a movable member adapted to automatically seal the same is broadly claimed to be within the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Letters 1. A device for moistening and sealing envelopes comprising a casing enclosing a collapsible reservoir having inlet and exhaust valves, the reservoir adapted to be filled with a moistening liquid by alternately compressing and releasing the sides of same through apertures in the casing, a moistening member connected to and adapted to be supplied with liquid from the reservoir, the said member having a groove depressed in a surface of same forming a' shallow basin for maintaining a supply of liquid from the reservoir, a con trol member having a tensional contact with the surface surrounding the grooved outlet adapted to form a normal seal for same, means for regulating the tension of the contacting surfaces, and a closing member adapted to press the moistened'flap into sealed contact with the envelope.

2. A device for moistening and sealing envelopes comprising a collapsible reservoir adapted to be filled with a liquid by alternately compressing and releasing the walls of same, a moistening member connected to and supplied with liquid from the reservoir for moistening a portion of the envelope and the gummed flaps of same, a control member in movable contact with the moistening member adapted to normally form a seal for the outlet in same, and a closing member adapted to press the moistened gummed flaps into sealed contact with the envelope.

3. A device for moistening and sealing envelopes comprising a reservoir having inlet and outlet port-s and walls adapted to be flexed to and fro whereby to charge the reservoir with a moistening liquid, an outlet from the reservoir adapted to engage with and moisten the flap of the envelope, a movable member adapted to contact the same with the outlet and form a normal seal for same, and a means for pressing the moistened gummed flap into sealed contact with the envelope.

at. A device for moistening and sealing envelopes comprising a reservoir having inlet and discharge ports and adapted to be charged with moistening liquid and .dis-

charge the same by means of an outlet adapted to engage with and moisten the gmnmed flap of an envelope or like surface, a movable member adapted-to hold the surface in contact with the outlet and automatically sealthe same when the surfaceis out of contact with the outlet, and a means for closing the moistened gunnned flap and pressing the same into sealed contact with the envelope. 1

5. A moistening device comprising a member having a hollow portion adapted to v be connected to a supply of moistening liquid and having an outlet adapted to engage with a surface whereby to moisten the CHARLES AUGUST MEZGER. 

